The Padel Court Explained: Size, Walls, Glass, Surface

Why the padel court is the heart of the game

I still remember the first ball I gave up on. It flew past me, deep and fast, and I turned away to fetch the next one. Then it came off the back glass and floated gently back towards me, as if asking for a second chance. I missed it, of course. But in that moment I understood that the padel court isn't just where the game happens. In many ways, it is the game.

Padel is played in an enclosed box. The walls are in play, so a ball that would be a winner in tennis often becomes the start of a longer rally. That one design choice shapes everything: where you stand, how patient you are, and why beginners can enjoy real rallies so early.

Quick answer: A padel court has a playing area of 20 m x 10 m. It is enclosed by walls of glass and metal mesh 3–4 m high, has a net 88 cm high at the centre, and is usually surfaced with sand-filled artificial grass.

So why a padel court, rather than another racket court? It's compact, it's built for doubles, and it's social by nature, because four people share a small space and talk constantly. It's also forgiving. The walls give you time and second chances, and that is a big part of why the sport has spread so quickly through clubs in Johannesburg, Cape Town and along the Garden Route.

The idea came from a practical fix. In 1969, Enrique Corcuera boxed in a court to fit the space at his home in Mexico. That fix turned out to be the sport's genius.

Padel court dimensions and size

The official padel court dimensions set by the International Padel Federation (FIP) are a 20 m x 10 m playing area, split by the net into two 10 m x 10 m halves. Singles courts of 20 m x 6 m exist, but they're rare. Almost every court you book will be a full-width doubles court.

Once you add run-off space around each court, a padel court takes up roughly a third of the footprint of a tennis court. If you're planning a build, allow a total footprint of about 21 m x 11 m for the structure and access. Panoramic courts need more, because players may run outside them, so a clear, safe margin matters.

For indoor courts, height matters as much as floor space, because lobs are central to the game. The FIP minimum clear height is about 6 m. Builders and players prefer 7–8 m, so lobs aren't clipped by beams or lights. Specifications are updated from time to time, so check the current FIP regulations before you design anything.

Here's how padel compares with other racket courts (playing areas only):

Sport	Playing area	Walls in play?
Padel	20 m x 10 m	Yes: glass and mesh
Tennis (doubles)	23.77 m x 10.97 m	No
Squash	9.75 m x 6.4 m	Yes: four solid walls
Pickleball	13.41 m x 6.1 m	No

Court markings, service boxes and the net

A padel court has very few lines:

Service lines run across each half, 6.95 m from the net and about 3 m from the back wall.
A centre line divides the area between the net and each service line into two service boxes.
All lines are 5 cm wide.

There are no tramlines, no doubles alley and no baseline in the tennis sense. The walls mark the edges of the court. You'll spend much of your time behind the service line, but there's no line to stand on. The back glass is your boundary.

The net runs the full 10 m width. It is 88 cm high at the centre and 92 cm at the posts, which is lower than many tennis players expect. Low, controlled shots that skim the net are very effective.

The lines matter most when you serve. The padel serve is underarm. You bounce the ball behind your service line and strike it at or below waist height. It must cross diagonally and bounce in your opponent's service box. It's a gentle way to start each point, and it's one reason newcomers can rally almost from the first session.

Padel court walls: glass, mesh and how they play

If you've wondered how high padel court walls are, and how much of them is glass, here's the standard layout:

Back walls: 3 m of glass topped by 1 m of metal mesh, so 4 m in total.
Side walls: a stepped glass section runs along each side from the back wall, 3 m high and then stepping down to 2 m. The rest of the side, including the area beside the net, is metal mesh.

The glass is tempered safety glass, usually 10–12 mm thick. You'll still find older courts at some clubs with concrete or block walls. On those, the ball tends to come off a little deader and less evenly. If you switch between the two types, give yourself a few games to adjust.

The difference between glass and mesh is where padel gets interesting. Glass bounces true. Hit it at a given angle and speed, and the ball comes back in a way you can learn to read. Mesh is unpredictable. The ball can drop dead, kick sideways or pop up, depending on where it strikes the wire and the posts. That's why good players avoid hitting into their own mesh. When an opponent's ball heads into your mesh, give it room and react late rather than guessing early.

Playing off the walls: the rules in plain language

The rules sound tricky at first, but they come down to a few principles.

An incoming ball must bounce on your side before it touches your wall. If your opponent's shot hits your glass or mesh before bouncing, it's out and the point is yours. Once it has bounced, you can let it come off your back or side wall and play it as it rebounds.

Your shot must bounce in your opponents' half before touching their walls. If you hit their glass directly, the ball is out.

Can you play the ball off your own wall? Yes. You may hit the ball into your own walls so that it travels back over the net, as long as it then bounces in your opponents' half. It's usually a recovery shot when you've been caught out, rather than a weapon.

A few terms you'll hear on court:

Off-the-glass return: you let the ball rebound off the back glass, then play it as it comes towards you. This is the foundation of padel defence.
Bajada: when a high ball comes off the back glass with height to spare, you attack it on the way down with an overhead-style shot instead of just returning it.
Doble pared (double wall): the ball strikes two walls, usually the side and then the back, or the reverse. It changes direction twice, and reading it takes practice.
Salida de pista: on courts designed for it, an advanced player can run out through the door openings to chase a ball that has bounced in and left the court, then play it back. It's spectacular, but it's not something most club players need.

A host tip: let the ball come off the back glass. Almost every newcomer rushes forward to hit it early, because tennis taught them to. Turn side-on, wait, and let the glass bring the ball back to you. Patience is the first skill our coaches work on, and it changes the game quickly.

Can beginners learn to use the walls quickly? In my experience, yes. You'll get the basic back-glass return within a few coached sessions. Corners and double walls take longer, but that's part of the pleasure.

Doors, posts and court types

Most courts have openings on each side, either single or double, near the net. They give you access, and on panoramic courts they allow play outside. For safety, the area beyond the openings should be clear of benches, bags and hard edges.

You'll come across three broad court types:

Classic courts have visible structural posts and a steel frame holding the glass.
Panoramic courts use minimal posts, with glass panels held so the walls look almost seamless.
Super-panoramic courts take this further, with even fewer visible supports and clearer sight lines.

Is a panoramic court better than a classic court? For spectators and pros, it can be: the views are clearer and the rebounds slightly cleaner. For learning, a well-kept classic court is perfectly good. The dimensions, lines and rules are identical.

In South Africa you'll find indoor courts, covered courts (roofed but open-sided) and fully outdoor courts. Covered courts are a popular middle ground. You keep the fresh air while staying protected from rain and the harshest midday sun.

Padel court surfaces

What surface is a padel court made of? The standard is artificial grass: a short synthetic turf with a pile of roughly 10–12 mm, filled with silica sand. You'll mostly see two fibre types:

Monofilament or texturised fibre usually holds less sand and gives a more even, predictable bounce. It's common on newer courts.
Fibrillated fibre, which splits and interlocks to hold more sand, is hard-wearing and widely used.

The sand infill does a lot of quiet work. It holds the fibres upright, steadies the bounce, gives your shoes grip and allows a small, controlled slide. Play pushes the sand towards the edges and corners over time, so courts need regular brushing and topping up to stay consistent.

Colour is partly taste. You'll see blue, green and terracotta. Blue has become popular because a yellow ball stands out clearly against it, which helps on high lobs.

Alternatives such as porous concrete and synthetic resin exist. They're durable, but they're harder on knees and ankles and lack the gentle give of turf. That's why they're less common.

You'll feel a worn or under-filled surface before you see it. The ball skids low, your feet feel either stuck or skittish, and corners can turn slippery where fibres have flattened. That's where ankles get turned. On an unfamiliar court, take a few minutes to test your grip before you go flat out.

The outdoor padel court in South African conditions

Which direction should an outdoor padel court face? Ideally, lay it north–south. The sun then tracks across the court rather than shining straight down one end. Even so, a low late-afternoon sun can catch you on a high lob, so a cap helps.

Wind is a constant companion at the coast. It pushes lobs long or holds them up, and it rewards lower, more controlled shots. Rain makes both glass and turf slippery. A well-built court with a properly falling slab and porous turf drains quickly and can be playable fairly soon after a shower. A poorly drained one can sit wet for hours.

In summer, heat builds up behind the glass, especially on courts with little shade. Early mornings and late afternoons are kinder for play. Altitude matters too. Balls fly noticeably livelier in Johannesburg than at the coast, and players who travel between the two often feel the difference in their first few games.

For evening play, LED floodlights are now the norm. As a rough guide, about 300–500 lux suits social play, and 750 lux or more suits competition. Confirm the exact requirements with a lighting designer. Good lighting design also keeps glare off the glass and light off the neighbours.

I find the Garden Route especially suited to outdoor padel. The climate is mild, and the clubs I've played at around George are relaxed places where locals play rather than big commercial centres. You'll often hear birdsong between points and see mountains beyond the mesh.

How much does it cost to lay a padel court in South Africa?

This question usually comes from someone who's been bitten by the game and is eyeing a garden, a farm or an estate's common ground. It's a substantial project, and prices vary widely by supplier, site and specification.

Treat these figures as a rough guide only, as at late 2026, and verify them with several local installers. A classic court tends to start from roughly R400 000. Panoramic courts are commonly in the region of R550 000–R900 000 installed. A roof or canopy adds considerably to either.

The main cost drivers are:

Glass type and steel structure, usually the biggest single item
Turf quality and sand infill
Lighting, including fittings, poles and electrical supply
Groundworks and slab: levelling, drainage and a properly cured concrete base
Roofing or canopy, if you want to play year-round in comfort
VAT at 15%, so check whether a quote includes it

Then come the ongoing costs: brushing and infill top-ups, glass cleaning, electricity for the lights, and eventually resurfacing when the turf wears out.

A few practical notes:

Check whether you need municipal building plan approval for the structure and any canopy.
On an estate, read the HOA rules first. Noise from the ball on glass and evening lighting can be sensitive with neighbours.
All electrical work should comply with SANS 10142 and be signed off with a Certificate of Compliance by a registered electrician.

My gentle steer: for most people, learning on well-kept club courts comes first. Play for a season, find out what you love about the game, and then decide whether a court of your own makes sense.

What equipment do you need to play padel?

Very little: a solid, stringless padel racket, padel balls (slightly lower pressure than tennis balls), and shoes with a herringbone or omni-clay sole that grip sand-filled turf. Add light clothing, a cap and sunscreen outdoors. For what to buy and what to spend, see Where to Buy Padel Gear in the UK and South Africa.

If you're joining me on the Cape Coast Padel Retreat, rackets are available during the week, so you can arrive with little more than good court shoes and sun kit.

Padel, pickleball and paddle tennis: which sport has a paddle?

Padel uses a solid, perforated racket, played on a 20 m x 10 m walled court.
Pickleball uses a solid paddle and a plastic ball with holes, played on a small open court with a no-volley "kitchen" zone near the net.
Platform tennis (sometimes just called "paddle" in the US) uses paddles on a raised court surrounded by tight wire screens.

So the sports that strictly use a paddle are pickleball and platform tennis, though people often loosely call padel rackets "paddles" too.

The real difference is the walls. Pickleball points end when the ball leaves the court. In padel, the enclosure keeps the ball alive, so rallies last longer, mixed-ability foursomes stay competitive and the game feels naturally social.

Reading the court is best learnt on court

I watched plenty of videos when I started. They didn't help much. Understanding the walls clicked for me only after several days of coached play in a row. Hitting the same back-glass ball again and again, with someone beside me saying "wait… now", did what no video could.

That's what daily coaching gives you. Good local coaches turn the glass and mesh from obstacles into allies. They show you where to stand, when to let the ball go and how to use a corner instead of fearing it.

That's the thinking behind our Cape Coast Padel Retreat. It's a small group of 6–8 guests, each with a private room, on the Garden Route near George. There's daily coaching and play with local coaches, all local transfers during the week are included, and I host personally throughout. All levels are welcome, and no padel experience is needed. Check the website for the next retreat dates.

If that sounds like your kind of week, the retreat details are here. I'm always happy to answer questions first, with no pressure at all.

The short version

A padel court is a 20 m x 10 m box of glass and mesh, with a low net, a few lines and sand-filled turf. To get started:

Let the ball come off the back glass.
Give the mesh a little room.
Wear shoes that grip sand.
Outdoors, play early or late and let the wind teach you patience.

If you're weighing up a court of your own, get several local quotes and play a season first. Above all, get some coached time on court. That's where the walls start to make sense.

Frequently asked questions

How much does it cost to lay a padel court?

As a rough guide as at late 2026, a classic court in South Africa tends to start from roughly R400 000, while panoramic courts are commonly around R550 000 to R900 000 installed. A roof or canopy adds considerably, and you should check whether quotes include 15% VAT and get several local quotes.

What do you need to start playing padel?

You need a solid, stringless padel racket, padel balls and shoes with a herringbone or omni-clay sole that grip sand-filled turf. Add light, breathable clothing, plus a cap and sunscreen when playing outdoors.

What sport has a paddle?

Strictly speaking, pickleball and platform tennis (sometimes just called "paddle" in the US) use paddles. Padel uses a solid, perforated racket, although people often loosely call it a paddle.

What makes a padel court different?

A padel court is compact, built for doubles and social, because four players share a small enclosed space. The walls are in play, which gives you second chances and lets beginners enjoy real rallies early.

How big is a padel court in metres?

The playing area is 20 m x 10 m, split by the net into two 10 m x 10 m halves. Allow a total footprint of about 21 m x 11 m, and more for panoramic courts.

How high are padel court walls?

The back walls are 4 m: 3 m of glass with 1 m of mesh above. The side walls step down from 3 m to 2 m of glass near each back wall, with mesh along the rest.

Can you play padel on a tennis court?

Usually not, because padel needs its own walls and enclosure. But usually two, and sometimes three, padel courts can fit on the footprint of one tennis court, depending on the surrounds, which is why some clubs convert them.

Is an outdoor padel court playable in rain or wind?

Wind, yes, though it changes how you play. In light rain, both glass and turf get slippery, so most people pause. Well-drained courts recover quickly afterwards.

How long does it take to install a padel court?

The court structure often goes up in days rather than weeks. Groundworks, slab curing, plan approval and electrical sign-off usually take much longer, so plan for the whole project.